I have a new book highlight which is consequently a strong recommendation, fellow book lovers. I adored this book and the beautiful style in which it is written - it is Remains of the Day, a modern classic by Kazuo Ishiguro, British writer with Japanese roots. Ishiguro's family came to England when he was five years old, and it's incredible the level of command of English language he achieved as a non-native citizen. The book is a pleasure to the senses.
It's one of those perfect literary works that unerringly captures the essence of a world and life vanishing under the relentless passage of time. At first glance, it’s a slow-paced story with little action, unfolding primarily between the lines, in the unspoken words that are not on the page but sensed by the reader—this is what makes this book exceptional. Ishiguro masterfully conveys the feeling of internal struggle through a subtly crafted and emotionally charged narrative.
At the center of the novel is Mr. Stevens, now an aging butler in a distinguished English aristocratic household that once hosted meetings of vital national and international importance between the two world wars. After more than three decades of loyal service, during which his sole focus was to serve his master without reservation, Stevens finally, at the urging of the house's new owner, decides to embark on a journey through the rolling hills and unexplored towns of England—his first vacation after all these years.
While we follow his travels, the most important insights about his life are revealed through frequent introspections that take him back to his years of service. We learn about his moral dilemmas regarding what dignity truly means and how a good butler should conduct himself, we hear about the tense conversations among influential politicians he witnessed that shaped the fate of the world, and, above all, we delve into his tumultuous relationship with the house’s former housekeeper, Miss Kenton.
"I do not think I responded immediately, for it took me a moment or two to fully digest these words of Miss Kenton. Moreover, as you might appreciate, their implications were such as to provoke a certain degree of sorrow within me. Indeed—why should I not admit it?—at that moment, my heart was breaking. Before long, however, I turned to her and said with a smile:
'You're very correct, Mrs. Benn. As you say, it is too late to turn back the clock.'"
Mr. Stevens (we never hear his first name) is one of those traditional, old-school butlers, one of the last of his kind, who is incredibly serious about his job - his whole life is dedicated to making sure everything is smooth and perfect for his lord. That's why we sometimes see him as acting petty towards the servants and criticizing them for small oversights.
He fails to see the red flags in the behavior of his master, mainly being a Nazi sympathizer in 1930s either because of naivety or intent. But for Mr. Stevens, that's not something a butler should ponder about - at least he thought it before old age and regret started showing signs. Nothing could derange him from doing his job - not even the death of a loved one.
This poignant, subtly humorous and above all else painful story paints the feeling of regret stronger than anything I've ever read. It's written in a beautiful, rich and elegant style of the old English language, in the manner of its elegant protagonist, and it deserves to be read by everyone. One of my favorites so far this year.
4.75/5 stars